Swans co-captain Kieren Jack says cost of living allowance scrapped because club took ‘risk’

Kieren Jack, seen here tackling Lance Franklin at training, is happy the former Hawk has joined the club but thinks it might be the reason the AFL has all but killed off the Swans’ cost-of-living allowance. Picture: Brett CostelloSource: News Limited

SYDNEY co-captain Kieren Jack has attacked the AFL, claiming the death of the Swans’ cost-of-living allowance was payback for the big-money poaching of Lance Franklin.

The Swans rocked the football world when they lured Franklin from Hawthorn with a nine-year, $10 million deal that angered much of the competition.

Lance Franklin has a finger popped back into place during Swans training on Tuesday. Picture: Phil HillyardSource: News Corp Australia

The AFL responded on Tuesday by announcing it would phase out the extra cash, which provides the Swans with an extra 9.8 per cent in their salary cap — around $1m.

Sydney is fighting to keep a watered-down version of its Cost of Living Allowance after the AFL announced it would scrap the controversial scheme.

Officials will meet with the AFL next week to negotiate a rental assistance package for lower earners to compensate for high living costs in the New South Wales capital.

Jack said yesterday Sydney would still have its special assistance if it hadn’t signed Franklin.

“It does annoy me,” Jack said.

“We took a massive risk, offering a nine-year deal. If other teams wanted to do that, they could have offered a nine-year deal too but no one was prepared to do it.

“(Sydney chief executive) Andrew Ireland said if we didn’t take the risk and we didn’t get Buddy, we would still have the cost of living allowance.

“We took a nine-year risk and we picked him up and we’re really happy we got him. But now we have suffered because of that and they’re taking the allowance away.”

While the AFL and Sydney are working on a replacement scheme for the club, the Swans are bracing for a heavily reduced version from the one they have used for the past 20 years.

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